**Executive Summary**
This document presents answers from the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education to questions raised in Lok Sabha on December 1, 2025, regarding increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education. It details the government's plans to increase GER to 50% by 2035 and addresses specific concerns about Lalit Narayan Mithila University and UGC regulations. The document provides information on the actions taken by the government and UGC in this regard.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) Increase:**
* The government plans to increase the GER in Higher Education from 26.3% to 50% by 2035, as per the National Education Policy 2020.
* The number of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has increased from 51,649 in 2018-19 to 58,643 in 2022-23 (provisional).
* The number of students has increased from 37.4 million in 2018-19 to 44.6 million in 2022-23 (provisional).
* HEIs offering online education have increased from 7 in 2020 to 123 in 2025.
* Steps to improve GER include expanding infrastructure, increasing financial support, and leveraging online platforms (Swayam and NPTEL).
* **Lalit Narayan Mithila University:**
* Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar, is a state university that was recognized to offer the MA (Maithili) programme from academic year 2018–19 to 2019–20.
* Nalanda Open University, Bihar, was also recognized to offer the MA (Maithili) programme from the academic year 2016-17.
* No recognition has been granted by the UGC to Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar after January 2020 as the HEI was not fulfilling the minimum requirement for eligibility criteria as per the UGC ODL Programmes and Online Programmes Regulations, 2020.
* **UGC Regulations:**
* UGC is inviting applications from eligible HEIs for two academic sessions (July and January) every year.
* Under UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020, changes in eligibility criteria have been made to widen the number of HEIs eligible to offer ODL/Online programmes.
* Each application of the HEIs is assessed by multiple Expert Committees, with opportunities for redressal by an Appeal Committee.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)**
* **Impact:** Affected by changing eligibility criteria for offering ODL/Online programmes and assessment processes by UGC.
* **Action Required:** HEIs need to apply to UGC for offering ODL/Online programs. Eligible HEIs need to comply with the updated UGC regulations and participate in the application and assessment process.
**Stakeholder: Students**
* **Impact:** Increased access to higher education through expanded infrastructure, financial support, and online platforms.
* **Action Required:** Students should leverage available online learning platforms and new institutions to pursue higher education opportunities.
**Stakeholder: Lalit Narayan Mithila University**
* **Impact:** Impacted by not meeting UGC's minimum requirements for ODL programs, resulting in no recognition after January 2020.
* **Action Required:** Address and rectify any deficiencies to meet UGC's ODL program requirements.
**Stakeholder: Nalanda Open University**
* **Impact:** Being recognised to offer MA Programmes.
* **Action Required:** To provide details on the Maithili programme.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy 2020: A comprehensive framework for education development in India mentioned as a key policy driver for increasing the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education.
UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes) Regulations, 2020: Regulations issued by the UGC governing Open and Distance Learning and Online Programmes.
Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar: A state university in Bihar mentioned as offering distance education in Maithili language and facing issues related to UGC regulations.
UGC (University Grants Commission): The primary regulator of universities in India whose regulations are cited as impacting the university and HEIs.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responsible for education policy and administration, including higher education. The Minister of State for Education is responding to the parliamentary question.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 27
ANSWERED ON 01.12.2025
Increasing GER in Higher Education
27. Shri Raja Ram Singh:
Shri Rao Rajendra Singh:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the manner in which the Government plan to increase Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher
education to 50 per cent by the year 2035, with provisions for promotion of Indian languages
other than Hindi and Sanskrit;
(b) whether it is true that Lalit Narayan Mithila University is the only institution offering distance
education in the Maithili language, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether it is also true that the university face admission restrictions during the last four years
due to dual standards in UGC Regulations, 2020;
(d) if so, whether this reflect a policy contradiction and if so, the details thereof;
(e) the number of applications received regarding this issue along with the actions taken by the
Government and UGC in this regard; and
(f) the impact of such policy on enrolment in backward regions along with the steps taken by the
Government to resolve this?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)
(a): As per National Education Policy 2020, the Government has planned to increase the Gross
Enrolment Ratio (GER) in Higher Education from 26.3% to 50% by 2035. Number of Higher
Education Institutions (HEIs) have increased from 51,649 in 2018-19 to 58,643 in 2022-23
(provisional). Number of students have increased from 37.4 million in 2018-19 to 44.6 million in
2022-23 (provisional). Number of HEIs offering online education has gone up from 7 in 2020 to
123 in 2025. Further, steps to improve the GER in India include expanding infrastructure by
building new institutions and upgrading the existing ones, increasing financial supports through
scholarship and funding and leveraging technologies by promoting online platforms like
Swayam (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) and NPTEL (National
Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning).
(b): Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Bihar is a state university. The university was recognized
to offer the MA (Maithili) programme from the academic year 2018–19 to 2019–20. Further,Nalanda Open University, Bihar was also recognized to offer the MA (Maithili) programme
from the academic year 2016-17.
(c) & (d): No recognition has been granted by the UGC (University Grants Commission) to Lalit
Narayan Mithila University, Bihar after January, 2020 as the HEI was not fulfilling the minimum
requirement for eligibility criteria as per the UGC ODL (Open and Distance Learning)
Programmes and Online Programmes Regulations, 2020.
(e) & (f): UGC is inviting application from the eligible HEIs for two academic sessions i.e. July
and January every year. Further, under UGC (ODL Programmes and Online Programmes)
Regulations, 2020, change in eligibility criteria was done to widen the number of Higher
Educational Institutions (HEIs) eligible to offer ODL/Online programmes. Each application of
the HEIs is assessed by the multiple Expert Committees and get opportunities for redressal by
Appeal Committee.
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